Shoptimism Giveaway

This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to commentor #33: Bridge!

Those who know me know that I’m a shopper. Whether it’s at the mall or on the internet, I pretty much buy whatever I want. That doesn’t mean that I don’t look for the best deal out there, though. I try to keep prices in mind when making my purchase decisions.

What about you? Are you an impulsive shopper or one who weighs her decisions wisely? Do you prefer shopping malls or the internet? Well, no matter what kind of consumer you are you’ll find Shoptimism by Lee Eisenberg filled with valuable information on why we do what we do.

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Eisenberg (The Number) reveals the mechanisms of manufacturing needs and wants in this book that explores every facet of retail consumption, from advertising to behavioral marketing, from malls to Internet communities. The author presents his own family’s consumption habits as a litmus test, which, while providing context, effectively sidelines the experiences of those who do not embrace consumerism with the same fervor. Dividing the retail landscape into Buy and Sell, Eisenberg provides a cornucopia of consumption trends, brain scans indicating beer preferences, zip-code–based lifestyle data, psychographic information, blogs and buzz measurement.

OUR REVIEW

In this tight economic time, Shoptimism really makes you stop and think about your spending habits. It’s written in a way that is witty, thoughtful, and thoroughly entertaining. Eisenberg has a way to talking to you and not down at you and speaks in a language that everyone can understand.

Shoptimism is basically divided into two main sections, sellers and buyers. Even if you’re mainly a consumer, reading about the marketing and public relations side of businesses will give you an insight on why stores do what they do.

“They track our movements through stores, nothing whether we turn left or right as we enter, how we shy away from narrow aisles lest a customer or clerk brush us in the butt, intentionally or with perversity aforethought. They scoop us up by the millions – our families, neighbors, everybody – and dump us into industrial-grade sifters, deposit us into appropriately labeled buckets, the douse us with Buy offers.”

On the consumer side of the book, Eisenberg talks about spending habits. He basically divides shoppers into 3 categories:

1. The Classic Buyer – Price and value: your head wants to do the right thing
2. The Romantic Buyer – Novelty and desire: your heart just wants to have fun
3. The Stop-Me-Before-I-Buy-Again Buyer – Where self-indulgence ends and self-destruction begins

I admit that I used to be The Stop-Me-Before-I-Buy-Again Buyer. When I left my high-paying job to become a flight attendant, I had to take a drastic cut in pay. The only problem was that I still spent like I was rolling in the dough. I kept thinking that eventually my flight attendant salary would catch up with my lifestyle. Boy, was I wrong. I ended up being so in debt that I used to stress every month on how the bills would get paid. Luckily, I saw the light and have change my evil ways . . . most of the time.

However, every once in a while I need a reminder that it’s not all about just me anymore. I’m now responsible for taking care of my family and reading this book not only made me stop and think about my spending habits but also why I spend. To me, understanding a problem is the first step in solving the problem and Shoptimism helps you do just that.

Purchase your copy at Amazon.com for $17.16.

WIN IT!

I have a copy of Shoptimism to give away to one lucky person. To enter:

• Just mention in comments before midnight, Dec 27th which of the 3 categories of shoppers you are. That’s it!
• A random winner will be selected and notified via email shortly thereafter.
• The winner will then have 2 days to claim their prize.

To earn extra entries, you may do one or all of the following. Each one counts as an extra ticket but you must leave a separate comment for each one.

• Subscribe to An Island Life’s feed.
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• Mention this giveaway on your blog with a link back here and to Shoptimism.

This giveaway is open to everyone world-wide! Good luck!

This post was written for Free Press who provided the item for review and giveaway. I was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary product. By entering this giveaway, you are acknowledging that you have read, understood, and agree to our disclosure policy